Will massage hurt muscles post tummy tuck?

Question

Is the psoas muscle surgically repaired during tummy tuck? If so is there any risk in losing result if that muscle is massaged through chiropractic. Surgery was several years ago. I recently started seeing a chiropractor for pain from an unrelated injury. I'm concerned this may reduce the great results I had from tummy tuck. My abs definitely don't feel as tight. Any advice is appreciated.

Wayne I. Yamahata, MD · Answer

The psoas muscles are not repaired or tightened during an abdominoplasty. They are located at a deeper level than normally exposed or treated during the procedure. Most surgeons would not feel comfortable having patients undergo chiropractic treatment during the early post operative course but as it has been years since your surgery there should be no contraindication at this time.

Jeffrey A. Sweat, MD · Answer

As several surgeons have already mentioned, no your psoas is not tightened during a tummy tuck.  But to expound on that answer, if your psoas is massaged by the chiropractor, this should have no effect on your result.  It is normal for the abs to relax over several years after the surgery, so this is likely unrelated to your psoas injury.  At this point, the results from the tummy tuck should be as permanent as they are going to be.  Best of luck!

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

No, the psoas muscle is nowhere near what is repaired in a tummy tuck. Please see the attached image for a cross-section of the muscles in that area. The rectus muscles are repaired and as you can see, the psoas muscles are nowhere near that.Hope this helps!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

The psoas muscle is not repaired in a tummy tuck.  The anterior abdominal wall is repaired.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

The posts muscle is not repaired during a tummy tuck.. It is deep.  The rectus abdomens and sometimes the obliques are reconstructed, not the psoas.

Will massage hurt muscles post tummy tuck?

Answers (5)